.

Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - No people were injured in a smoldering trailer fire late Wednesday afternoon, but two pets trapped inside died before firefighters could rescue them.

Traffic going into Northland Trailer Park was shut down for three hours as firefighters doused a home at 404 Norseman Dr.

A smoldering fire caused an estimated $120,000 in damages to 404 Norseman Dr. late Wednesday afternoon. None of the residents of the home were injured in the fire, but two family pets perished due to smoke inhalation. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

The smoldering fire caused an estimated $120,000 in damages, according to fire chief Albert Headrick. Fire crews responded to the fire at 4:12 p.m.

Headrick wouldn't say what kind of animals were in the home but confirmed that both died of smoke inhalation.

"The people are very distraught that they lost their family pets," he said.

In total, two fire trucks, an ambulance and a rescue truck were on the scene with 20 fire personnel. Also two municipal enforcement vehicles blocked off Norseman Drive.

Faint clouds of smoke were seen coming from the top of the trailer, and black clouds billowed out of the front door whenever firefighters entered the home.

"There was very limited visibility of smoke when we arrived," said Headrick.

"When our crews did enter, they were confronted with intense heat and smoke."

Headrick said crews contained the fire to the heavily damaged rear-right bedroom, but said there was still heat and smoke damage to the rest of the house.

"The guys did an extremely superb job," he said.

Nobody was in the home at the time of the fire.

The fire is not considered suspicious and the family did have insurance, said Headrick.

He said the origin of the fire was around the area of the hot water tank, adding fire personnel were at the home four days earlier regarding the tank.

"It seems that the fire basically extended externally up the wall cavity where the hot water tank is situated, into the ceiling and travelled along that way through the whole room," he said.

Bus service was interrupted by the road closure, with more than a dozen people waiting on board.

One young woman walked off the bus and watched as firefighters fought the fire in her home.

Firefighters had the fire under control at 5:24 p.m. and after checking hot spots and cleaning up, left the scene just after 7 p.m.